HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Any doubts about whether Joel Rosario would have a major impact on the local jockey colony riding regularly here for the first time this winter were quickly erased opening weekend after he posted hat tricks on each of the first two cards of the 2012-13 session.

Rosario, 27, moved his tack to the East Coast from Southern California this past summer and had a successful stay in New York, finishing fourth in the standings at Saratoga and third during Belmont Park’s fall meeting. Rosario is not a total stranger to Gulfstream, having ridden Final Mesa to victory for Wesley Ward in the Grade 3 Old Hat in January 2011.

“I’m very happy to get off to a fast start,” said Rosario, who won two of the seven Claiming Crown races on Saturday’s card. “I decided first to try New York and then down here to Florida because I felt there were more opportunities on the East Coast. And it also puts me a lot closer to my family, who are in the Dominican Republic, than when I was riding in California.”

Rosario said part of his decision to come to south Florida for the winter also was weather-related.

“I have a lot of trainers down here I’ve been riding for in New York who race here during the winter,” said Rosario, whose engagements are being handled by veteran agent Ron Anderson. “And it’s also too cold up in New York during the winter. I love this weather. I love Florida.”

I dont see Joel Rosario going away anytime soon. Proved me wrong that he'd make it there. On Closing Day at Santa Anita this Fall, I met him and seemed like a nice guy. I asked him if was staying in CA or going to Gulfstream and he told "Gulfstream." I got his autograph. It was a picture of him winning on both Dakota Phone in the Dirt Mile and Dullahan in the Pacific Classic.

Now that people are noticing him they're starting to catch on and now he's a threat to guys like Ramon Dominguez, Javier Castellano, and John Velazquez.